The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire, more particularly to a tread pattern suitable for passenger cars capable of improving the rolling resistance without sacrificing the steering stability.
Recently, in view of resource saving and global environmental problems, pneumatic tires are strongly required to decrease the rolling resistance. The rolling resistance can be decreased by decreasing the energy loss in various rubber components of a tire. For that purpose, conventionally employed are: to use elastomeric materials having low heat generation property as the tread rubber; and to decrease the volume of the rubber component such as tread rubber, sidewall rubber and the like. However, if the volume of the tread rubber and/or sidewall rubber is decreased, the noise performance during running, ride comfort and the like are liable to deteriorate. If a tread rubber having a low heat generation property is used, the braking performance and steering stability are liable to deteriorate. Thus, the reduction of rolling resistance has antinomic relationship with the steering stability, braking performance and the like.